OLYMPICS/ News
Madrid officially enters race to host 2016 Olympics
Updated: 2007-09-14 03:46
MADRID, Spain - Madrid formally submitted its bid Thursday to host the 2016 Olympics.
"As of this very moment, I can announce that Madrid is officially an applicant city to organize the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games," deputy city Mayor Manuel Cobo said in a statement.
Madrid Mayor Alberto Ruiz-Gallardon informed the Spanish government that the candidacy had been lodged with the International Olympic Committee.
Thursday was the IOC deadline for submission of preliminary bids.
Other contenders include Chicago; Tokyo; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Prague, Czech Republic and Doha, Qatar.
The IOC will announce the full list Friday. The IOC will select a short list of finalists in June 2008 and pick the host city in October 2009.
This is Madrid's second consecutive bid. The Spanish capital finished third in the voting in Singapore in 2005 for the 2012 Olympics. London edged Paris in the final ballot.
The Spanish city of Barcelona hosted the 1992 Olympics.
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